


Friends Who Sin Together, Win Together

by frostedgoddess



Category: Descendants (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, M/M, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 07:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6185503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frostedgoddess/pseuds/frostedgoddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you want to meet the most interesting people, you should work at a 24 hour diner at 4am.</p><p>Jay does exactly that and meets the members of the Dragon Syndicate, a dangerous street gang at war with the Royal Triad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends Who Sin Together, Win Together

**Author's Note:**

> There are two characters here that you may not know, if you don't know Freddie or Tala, check the bottom notes for quick details and info. 
> 
> Also guys, the entire Jaylos Ao3 tag is just full of serious fics that are like 100k words long (Which is great but not my cup of tea). Can I personally put in a request for more dumb fluff fics? Also puns, all the puns. This is dedicated to anyone who has or will write dumb fluff fics for me to read. K thanks :)

Jay dropped his pathetic excuse for a duffel bag on the apartment floor and looked down at the torn, crusty piece of paper that had lead him here from halfway across town. Torn off a telephone pole, it had been drenched and then dried out in the hot Auradonian sun, so many times that the words were hardly legible.

**One bedroom apartment**

**Monthly lease negotiable**

This tiny three-roomed apartment was not what Jay had in mind but it came with a fridge, microwave and a bed.

It was amazing that this place was where Jay was choosing to be, despite the fact that Jay’s childhood home had artwork worth more than the rent on this place for an entire year on every square metre of wall space.

But this new place had something that home-- _Jafar’s house_ , hadn’t had. Every square inch was Jay’s fair and square.

Jay had moved to the big city of Auradon with big dreams of living the high life, well not high, but decent, letting his bruises heal without new ones to replace them and never having to steal a thing to pave his way.

Unfortunately, that dream was horrifically short lived as every single penny of Jay’s five years’ worth of savings had to be reserved for rent for what was essentially a hovel.

But Jay had his priorities straight, he may have not eaten for two days but he had a roof over his head for at least four more months. And whatever it took, Jay wasn’t going to steal a single thing, not if his very life depended on it.

Then he got a job, it didn’t pay very well, but the owner ignored employment laws and let him work all day with his pick of the leftovers at closing time.

So maybe being a barista at a 24/7 coffee shop called Insomnia at Iago’s wasn’t even touching on  glamorous but it worked for Jay and with his check and tips he would be alright as long as he kept his expenses down.

And so that’s how days passed in his life. None of the relaxing easy living Jay had pictured from seeing the Auradon billboards.

“Oi, Jay, there are some people who look like they might be trouble, can you go ask them for their order.”

Jay looked down morosely at his rippling biceps; he was strong and looked it. But Jay hated what that meant. It meant that young women would cross the road through four lanes of traffic to avoid him and he’d be watched like a hawk whenever he entered a store. Every second of it was bitter reminder of his hometown, where he was universally known as Trouble with a capital T because of his father.  

But despite Jay’s new philosophy of believing the best of everyone and giving out the kindness he wanted to receive, he had to admit that these kids looked like Trouble. And as someone who had been forced to memorise museum blueprints before he was allowed to do his homework, Jay knew Trouble.

Five teens that couldn’t be any older than Jay wearing pretty much exclusively leather with hair in several different colours.  And as Jay sidled closer he managed to hear what they were saying.

“Hang on…” the girl with purple hair said, paused and coughed, before speaking in a surprisingly soft and feminine voice.

“I know the Beast’s kid wants to try and take us out, form an alliance, but if he thinks he can stop the Dragon Syndicate and take our territory, then he’s got another thing coming.”

The other members of the table jeered in agreement, abnormally flawless faces marring into looks that wouldn’t be out of place in a horror film. _God, what the hell?_

A boy spoke up, he was the smallest with round, cherubic features and big eyes that made Jay’s heart stutter.

 “Dove, after what happened with Audrey’s mother and your mother, you need to keep a watch out, Audrey is coming for you and she’s coming for blood.”

Suddenly the girl with blueberry bright hair snapped her head up to make eye contact with Jay. Jay was dead, so very, very dead.

“Do you want a picture or something?” She said, sounding surprisingly kind for insulting him - someone who’d just overheard something incriminating.

“Uh, that’s okay, I just came to take your order, but you guys sounded busy. Not that I heard anything!” Jay jumped in desperately, realising what he’d almost admitted to, heart hammering as if it knew his days were now numbered.

“Dude, breathe.” The boy from before said. “We won’t bite. I’m Carlos. This is Mal, Evie, Freddie and Tala.”

“I’m uh…” for a second, Jay thought he should use a fake name, any name. But his mind chose that exact moment to go blank, “Jay.” He answered finally.

“It’s great to meet you Jay. Can I grab your most chocolatey cake, brownie, slice or whatever?” Jay nodded mutely at Carlos.

Jay had always been told that the people in magazines weren’t real, they were a digital creation of bits from heaps of people who were perfect already to create something ultra-human. Carlos proved that all of that was a lie.

The girl who Carlos had introduced as Tala stood up, tilting her head in a way that was very clearly predatory.

“Now we weren’t supposed to let anyone hear what is going down next week, you didn’t hear anything or our boss will have to get in touch. You can keep a secret, can’t you Jay?”

Jay nodded eagerly, his teeth rattling in his head, “I can keep secrets, not that I will have to because I didn’t hear anything, at all!”

“Good.” Tala said before sitting back down on the slightly tacky vinyl-lined chair.

“Tala, don’t be mean, Jay’s cool.” Everyone was pretty baffled by that, Jay included, all Jay had done was eavesdrop by accident and forget how to English.

Mal spoke up, looking pretty relaxed for someone who was clearly the ring leader. “What do you have with strawberries?”

Jay’s mind went blank again and everyone turned to look at him as he gaped dumbly. “We only really have the strawberry milkshakes, but I can make it with the strawberry ice cream if you like, instead of vanilla?”

Mal seemed content with that, “Beggars can’t be choosers, and this is the only place open at 4am that we can get into, fake IDs don’t work when everyone and their mother know you’re underage.”

Tala went on to order a latte (If you make me a fucking cappuccino I swear I’ll make you do it again, no more than one fifths froth Jay!), Evie asked for a long black and Freddie asked for a PB and J sandwich.

Maybe the whole thing had been a misunderstanding? Asides from Tala’s obvious threats, they were pretty kind and relaxed for a supposed gang, despite the sown on patches of a horned woman in a flowing dress.

And it wasn’t as though Auradon was known for its gang activity. And Carlos’ perfect face belonged on a billboard somewhere, not on the streets.

Jay’s stupid hope lasted until he returned with all their food and drinks and they were being scary again.

“The Royal Triad thinks they can come in on our turf? We’ve been here for generations and we’ll be here for generations more!”

Tala spoke up then, “We’ll slay every single last one of their allies and dip that stupid fucking treaty in rivers of their blood.”

“My father used to tell me that he had friends on the other side.” Freddie said, seemingly proud. “Maybe it’s time to call in reinforcements.”

Carlos cut in, “Didn’t those friends try and kill him?”

Freddie shrugged, “Semantics.”

“It’s really not.”

Okay, this was worse than getting on the wrong side of a gang of five teenagers in a rainbow of leather. Jay was looking at an all-out gang war.

 

It was only a few days later that Jay found himself on the graveyard shift again when the same kids came barging back into his life, and his coffee shop. This time it was only Carlos, Evie and Freddie in their completely bizarre outfits.

Hesitantly, Jay wandered over to ask for their orders, right in their line of vision so he didn’t accidentally overhear anything or make the gang think Jay was trying to listen in.

“Hey guys, what can I get for you?”

“Jay!” Carlos seemed utterly delighted at seeing the barista-slash-waiter. “Take a seat.”

“Oh.” That was a capitally bad idea, even though Carlos was the nicest person Jay had met in Auradon, and easily the closest thing Jay had to a friend ( _Wow,_ wasn’t that like the saddest thing ever?) Jay couldn’t just ignore the fact that Carlos would probably kill him for so much as hitting on him.

“Please? I just wanna chat and if anyone else comes in I’ll release you, promise!” Carlos sounded weirdly earnest for a guy who knew about cross-gang blood feuds and spoke about them in public.

“Okay sure, where is Mal and uh… Tala?”

“They have some solo stuff; Tala has evil monologuing and stuff to do. Mal is doing a solo infiltration of the Royal Triad. I can’t really tell you much more.”

“That’s fine.” Eventually Jay tucked his notepad into the pocket of his apron when it became clear that no one was going to order and slid into a chair next to Carlos and Evie. He turned to meet Carlos’ eyes and immediately took in a sharp breath.

Ringing Carlos’ perfect brown eye on the left was a nasty purpling bruise. Jay hadn’t noticed it immediately due to the harsh shadows cast across the side of his face by the florescent lighting.

“What the fuck happened to you?” Jay queried, making a short movement as if to touch but drawing back in time.

Carlos reached a hand up to touch his eye socket, which was a mistake as it drew Jay’s eye line to the deep cuts stretching across his knuckles.

“Oh, nothing bad, this is just from work, doesn’t even hurt.”

“Oh right…your job.” Jay felt something sour settle in his stomach.

“So you know everything about me Jay, but I barely know you, what brings you to the big city?”

 _Everything? What was that about?_ “I moved here from The Lost Isle. To get out of my dad’s house, we didn’t get along, I- I quickly realised that I was going to go broke if I kept holding out for the perfect job so I work here now.”

“The Lost Isle? That’s incredible, I know so much about that place.”

“Really?”

“The Lamp Crew is based out of there, one of the world’s greatest con crews. They’re a massive influence on me and my work.”

Of _fucking_ course Jay’s dad somehow was ruining this for Jay, without even being here, just by existing he poisoned everything that Jay adored. “Okay.” Jay said, completely monotone, shutting down. “Are you guys going to order?”

Carlos seemed to have gotten emotional whiplash from the way Jay shut right down at the mention of the Lamp Crew. “Hey, Jay, take a breath.” Carlos said, not accepting Jay’s conversational segway. “Whatever I said that upset you I’m really sorry, it was the Lamp Crew yeah?”

Jay nodded mutely, he grew up around Bad Guys and none of them were like Carlos. Carlos was special and Jay knew that even though he’d only had like one and a half conversations with him. No one could fake that kind of genuine concern.

Jay took the seat again silently, Evie and Freddie were talking quietly amongst each other, whinging about the late hour and how they had to go back to work before 2 am. So despite the fact that there were four people at the table, Jay and Carlos had a sense of privacy.

“We don’t have to talk about that, you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”  Carlos commented sympathetically. Putting one hand against Jay’s arm and incidentally reminding Jay of Carlos’ skinned knuckles.

“That’s okay, Carlos. You didn’t know. Have you seen the new Deadpool movie?”

“Ohmygod yes, Ryan Reynolds totally gets forgiven for the hot mess that was RIPD and Green Lantern.”

Jay laughed and easily fell into a conversation about Deadpool and the mess that Ryan Reynolds had made of his acting career.

More than an hour later, the two pairs were shocked out of their conversation by the rather dramatic entrance made by a bunch of totally drunk women wearing bondage dresses and stumbling around in high stilettos.

Jay stood up reluctantly. “Sorry, Carlos, I got to go take their order, I can’t leave people unattended between midnight and 6am in case they’re trouble.”

Carlos nodded, “I got you, we better be getting back to work now anyways, but it was great to see you again…Jay.” Carlos half whispered his name, Jay had never liked his name, it sounded like a nickname, but Carlos said it like it was special.

Even three hours later, while cleaning up vomit that was more Cosmo than stomach bile, Jay could still feel the heat of Carlos’ hand against his arm and the memory was only slightly soured by the obvious bruising that had marred Carlos’ face.

Jay wasn’t an idiot; he knew he looked decent, tanned skin, white teeth and muscles that didn’t really belong on a 16 year old. He knew that Carlos coming in just to see him, without even the false guise of getting a meal or a drink to hide his intentions was a signal.

The way Carlos said his name and the constant touching, the other teen was giving Jay the very clear go ahead. But Carlos said he was inspired by the Lamp Crew, could Jay honestly look past the whole gang thing? He survived in his dad’s house for 16 years before bolting.

How long could he stand to be with Carlos with the open way he discussed murder and gang wars? Or even if Carlos never mentioned it, and Jay _knew_ , would Carlos’ kindness be enough to overcome the fact that he was causing pain to who-knows-how-many others?

 

Carlos came in the next day around 6pm; he had on the most normal outfit so far. It was a white button down and tie but he still had leather sleeves and his wolf tail clipped into the side of his pants.

“You’re still working? You seem to always be here, do you ever sleep?” Carlos asked as he sauntered up to the counter, alone for the first time. His voice was soft and kind but the words cut deep. Crime paid but that didn’t mean it was the only way.

“I sleep.” Probably not enough but Jay was on the defensive now, had he still been on the Isle, then he would have gotten physical, but he and Carlos weren’t ruffians together, Carlos was special. Also, as a high ranking member of what seemed to be a serious gang, he probably had at least one weapon concealed on him and knew how to use it.

“Well you look like you could use a break, maybe something like dinner and a movie?” Carlos looked almost perfectly casual, hands stuffed in the pockets of his black jacket.

Without even thinking about it, about what Carlos’ offer really meant, Jay shook his head. “Sounds fun but I really don’t have the time.” _Or the money_.

It was only when Carlos’ whole body seemed to slump in on himself, that Jay realised what Carlos had just offered, and what Jay had just turned down. “Wait!” Jay called but Carlos didn’t stop walking away.

Jay chased after him, catching up easily right outside the diner door. The teen turned around at the feeling of Jay’s hand on his shoulder.

“Carlos I really am flattered and you’re an amazing guy. But I don’t know that I could be with you. You know, because of your job?”

“My job.” Carlos’ voice revealed nothing, and it was almost scary how fast his bright face shut down in the face of Jay’s rejection.

“I actually have bad history with people like you. Well not like you, Carlos you’re incredible. But in your line of work. Yeah, I should’ve mentioned something earlier but my dad…”

“Jay.” Carlos cut Jay off smoothly, eyes hardening coldly, blue and red shadows cast across his face from the neon sign. “I love my job. It pays well and I just get to hang out with my friends all day.”

Jay’s innards went cold, his heart beating too fast. His hands felt went and his throat felt dry.

“So you’re right Jay, if you have some deep seated issues with,” Carlos coughed, his voice becoming high and mocking. “ _People in my line of work._ Then this could never work.”

Carlos turned to leave again and Jay had never felt less convicted to his morals than right now. Because as much as Carlos was hiding it behind a scarily good poker face and a cruel tone, Jay had caused Carlos pain.

“Carlos. Please, we can still be good friends and if you ever get out of the business…”

“Wow, just, wow. You’re kind of an asshole you know that Jay?”

Wow indeed.

 

The Dragon Syndicate didn’t really come back to Insomnia At Iago’s after that horrible night, if Carlos had told everyone Jay was surprised he hadn’t gotten any threats yet. Every few days Freddie, Tala or Evie showed up with a list of five orders _to go thank you._

And not once did they mention the unfortunate incident or address Jay as though he was anything other than a random waiter. It was both relieving and almost disappointing.

Maybe they’d only met three times, but Jay missed Carlos, at first he tried to convince himself that he just missed the burst of surprise kindness in an otherwise bleak and lonely life in the city. But after a week of nightmares of Carlos’ sad face and not the threats on his life that Jay was sure would turn up at some point, Jay had to admit that it was the fur clad gang member that he missed.

 

It was 7 in the morning and it had been a long night of drunks stumbling in over the top of each other and puking all over everything. Then ordering more food and vomiting that up too.

Jay was walking home to his apartment as the sun was rising, the cold of winter dragging the night out for an extra few hours when he heard shouting from an alleyway.

“You think you can make an ass of me? This is the last time that you take advantage of the Royal Triad. Next time I catch you around these parts there won’t be anything left of you to send home for your Mama.”

Jay peeked his head around the corner of the brick work. A young boy in a blue blazer had his arm stretched out, a gun aimed at—Carlos.

“You can’t kill us all Mitchell.”

Jay didn’t think as he reached forward to drag Carlos out of the line of fire.

“Jay?” Carlos asked incredulous as Jay began to run away from the alleyway, dragging Carlos behind him like a helium balloon in a hurricane. “Jay, stop!”

Jay stopped, turning around to see Carlos trying to get his hand out of Jay’s grip.

“Jay, what the hell is wrong with you? I get it, you hate actors, but that doesn’t give you the right to screw up the shot!”

“Actor?”

The boy from before comes jogging up.

“Carlos? We gotta get this scene down before the sun rises, can you hang out with this young man later.”

Carlos blinked. “Yes. Actor. Why? What are--”

Jay blushed right to the tip of his ears.

“Jay! Please tell me you didn’t think I was in a real gang. You did. You thought I was killing people. I got to tell Mal this, she’ll die.”

“You’re really just an actor?”

Carlos beamed, “Yes, Jay I swear and later, I’m going to prove it to you by making you watch at least one episode of _Sin_ dicate. You supply coffee.”

Carlos turned and almost went to run after ‘Mitchell’. 

“Wait! Carlos I’m really sorry. But it made sense okay?”

“Jay, I have to go finish this scene with Ben, but I’m not mad at you.” Carlos ran back to Jay’s side and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Jay felt his skin go back up in flames.

Jay turned to hurry home, before he went to bed this morning, he had something to research.

Turns out that there were a lot of people who watched the show because Carlos’ character, Cameron was _literal human sunshine_ and Jay had never read so many comments relating a human being to a cinnamon roll.

 

 The next night at four am on the dot, Carlos came into the diner in civilian clothes with a laptop and a full box set of the first season of _Sin_ dicate.

“So you thought I was a gang member. Is that why you flipped out when I said that the Lamp Crew was my inspiration for my character? Because you thought I was actually copying the horrible stuff they did?”

Jay shifted uneasily. “The Advisor of the Lamp Crew, is my father. I got out here to escape him and you were the first person to be nice to me and I just couldn’t deal with connecting you to him.”

Carlos picked up Jay’s arm by the wrist and totally obviously wrapped it around his own waist with a smile.

“Nope, nothing at all, except Cameron’s threats occasionally, man am I glad this was all a misunderstanding, Evie told us you had to have been a fan because you were all quiet and star struck, so I assumed you knew.”

“I was quiet because I thought Tala would kill me!”

“As if, Mr Biceps, you could totally take on any of us!”

“I’m strong but it’s not like I have any fight training. I mean I guess the television show makes sense, you guys are all stupidly good looking.”

“But I’m the cutest right?” Carlos teased and it was just so easy to talk to him.

“I dunno, Tala looks like a model. And Mal seriously rocks the purple hair!”

Carlos put on such an adorable cute face that Jay caved. “If I agree that you’re the cutest will you agree to go out with me again?”

“Speaking of which, we got nominated for a Fan’s Choice Award. There’s going to be a red carpet event. Would you maybe wanna be my date?” By the end of his request, Carlos’ voice had risen at least two octaves.

“Depends. Are you going in costume?”

“Only if you kiss me right now.”

Carlos brushes a hand across Jay’s chest and beams when Jay’s muscles tighten visibly underneath his shirt. He looks stupidly pleased with himself.

Jay rolls his eyes and queues up the next episode of _Sin_ dicate, pretending to ignore Carlos advances, until a tiny pout appears on Carlos’ face and he grabs the actor’s hand and raises it to his mouth to press kisses to the knuckles before leaning forward to catch Carlos’ mouth with his own.

Weight is shifted and soon Jay is pressing Carlos down into the sticky vinyl of the chairs. But Carlos isn’t complaining.

**Author's Note:**

> Characters  
> [Freddie](http://40.media.tumblr.com/df6e9b979b4b8224e11cf4f01328f43c/tumblr_inline_nyb3r4Uxzn1ru6zpd_1280.jpg): Daughter of Dr Facilier (Voodoo Man from Princess and the Frog) character from Wicked World the webseries, and the Descendants app. Will be appearing in Descendants 2 played by [China Anne McClain](http://www.wallpaperama.com/post-images/forums/201410/22-p281-china-anne-mcclain-wallpapers1.jpg). 
> 
> [Tala](http://www.thecoveteur.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Jasmine_Sanders-32-728x486.jpg): Daughter of The Big Bad Wolf. My Original character, I envision her as looking like Jasmine Sanders.


End file.
